Sephardi Chief Rabbi David Yosef says Israelis should keep praying for the hostages until they are all actually back home, as tens of thousands of Israelis flock to the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem to attend the priestly blessing ceremony organized for the festival of Sukkot.
The ceremony is attended by some captivity survivors and family members, including Sasha Trufanov and Yulia Trufanova. Also there are Julie Kuperstein, the mother of Bar Kuperstein, who is still held in Gaza, and family members of Omer Neutra, who was killed on October 7, 2023, and whose body is still held by Hamas.
“We all heard the news,” says Yosef of the deal to free the hostages. “I ask all the people who are here, let us continue praying for the hostages until the last one comes home. They are still in danger in the hands of the enemy.”
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From the Liveblog of
Thursday, October 9, 2025
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